munson



l.. s, MuNsoN BUILDING BLOCK May 7,1929.

-Drginal Filed Oct. 18, 192?- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www Y N Y l N VEN TOR. ,ZzzZZef MEMUP?,

ATTORNY.

May 7, 1929- L. s. MuNsoN Re. 17,291

BUILDING BLOCK Original Filed oct. 18, 1922 2 Sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY;

Ressuecl Majr 7, 1929..

IQUTiInRs. MUNsoN, or WASHiNGToiv, DISTRICT "OF coLinvrniA, yAssIGN'on ,To` MUN- l: f son `AUTOYnovcK TiLEcoMPANY, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT orcoLUMBia, .i

"BUiiIinnver` BLOCK. n

original No. 568,613',

i Theplesent invention relatsfto:buildileT 'bloclslofthe type employed in the construction" of alll species of permanent building structures such as m'anufacturing plants, ,off l "icef buildings, dwellings etc., as well as being `adaptable for use in the construction ofL walls, bridges, conduits, etc.

Objectsof th building' blocks `of sufficient miscellany to y malte their use practicalfin theconstructi'onof buildings of anyr size as well as allowing for the embellishment or ornamentation "of the jliuilding;` to provide building blocks which v 1 Itmay be complement one another and are interengaged and locked; lto provide a bonded wall which 'ist` ireproofv as wellr as `weather tight and air tightpand to provide blocks which are` hollow to facilitate ftransportation and also `reduce the cost of 'transportation to a f minimum, yet permittingthe blocks toghe reinforced with a filler of plastic or other material whereverfdesired or foundnecessary in order to laugn'ientthe durability of the wall or other structure-in whichthe. blocks are enibodied,

'also stated tolbe an object of the inventionto'provide a wall composed `ofan means `outer'and innersectionA of superimposed blocks, wherein-the blocksof said sections theywalh without liability of premature failure asby disjointure ofsaid component parts, hence, viaterially increasing the strength, both lateral` and compressive of thesa'me.

i"{Numerousother objects jof this inventiony will be apparent from the following description of lthe present invention taken in con nection4 with the accompanying` drawings whereini I j f j [Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a atea January 5,1926, ,serial No. n for` ressyueiiled January* 5, "1928.,` `Serial No. 244,725.

s invention are to provide 595,317, ined etober v18,119221` Aiipnation `Wall `embodying blocks constructed accordance with; thisfinvention; I

FigureZl is a perspective View of theforin of block shown in Figurel; f y j Figure 3 is a fragmen'tary'l planviewofa wall constructed in accordance With thisiir` vention employing blocks of a different 'ccnl figuration from those shownjin Figures' Figure l visa perspective viewof a block such as that-.employed'in Figure; and*` Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a Wall' illustratinguse of the blochsyjcon 'n structed in accordance'with this invention.` a In reducing tins-invention to practice-i1 block A, such as shown in' Figure 2 of y'the drawings, may be used inthe construction 'of a wall B, as shown'in Figures l and `5. Or,ijf

desired, the blocks may berof thecoiiligiir'a'L tion yindicated atj'D, `shown" in yFigure 4, and, E, as illustrated Figure embodied in a wall ofthe drawings. I

The block `A maybe of `substantially ythe sainey size as a, standard vbrick and inayg-also be of' the configuration shownin Figure- 2. i

The block is" preferabl'yjhollow i and equipped withl intermediate l`stre'ngthening j wall'sv' which'` 'extend transversely' lthereacro's's.

lThese v'walls divide `the1 block into' a lseriesof f `compartments 7 which ,maybe hollow,

shown,- or illed`r with *a plastic Acompositioii or the like wheneverdesired or found 'neces'- sary. One side of each block is equipped with a-pairffof projections 8*,"oneof which is arranged in vproximityA to yeach end'of` the block, while a projection l9 eidendsfrom the block 'betweenv the projections 8j g Upon reference toligurey l, of the drawingsit will'be noted that the inner wall of-each projection 8 isistraight, as indicated at 10,y whil'e the'opp'lofsite wall is'inclined; as indicated 'atl-1: v,Each of the projections 9 l"has the Side ,wallsl'lQ thereof inclinedvor converged `so that the contour of theproject'ion 9 is'dovtail'efdj' lThe i' projections :8 and 'Qfmay be; `formed slid or In the formation of a wall these blocks an outer and inner section is preferably'esf j tablishedy andfeach sectionv consisting of 1 a plurality vof verticaltier'syor*rows ofsu'per'- imposed-layers ofjblocks `whereby to' 'effect'a i continuous yvertical liner of jointure between 'the various `junta-posed; blocks said ,layers ,n

as is shownin `Figure 5.A The tiers of one .11 ofjsaidg adjacent blocks engaged with the inclined faces "1I-2,0f theY projection 9. This pdrojfides spaces between the straight faces 10 of the projections on the Vparallelly arranged blocks-whichl are adapted for the reception of-'anplasti'c composition '14 capacitatin'gjas a hond or key',l lsdspaces are provided betweepfthe ends ofthe .block bodies which are also filled with a plastic composition, aslindi- @fate at^j15,therebybonding the bodies of the blocrs,r `*t( ),rggetherI-i.V The spaces between the ends 'of the block bodies Vware predetermined, consequently, 'the artisan in assembling the blocks ajwaljl can expeditiously determine ,whether or not theparallelly arrangedblo'cks haivelbeen actuated together'into the desired con-tif ,nity before `.the tplastic composition is deposltedbetween the 4projections :and the blockbodies,r Y i "When-Athe'blofwrks are arranged in 'su-perim- -posedplayers for example,when building a wall therewith, the interlocking` jointure as `between said blocksr and their relative arrangement is such as? to dispense with' the ne l'eesfsity'of mortari beds or-similar bonding meansbl ,materialjbe'tween the rows. By i f'thsyit Wil-1 la@ understood and air- Pl'eeiated Athat the improved blocks may be laid by 'unskilled or comparatively unskilled 4 labor without sacrificing the, eiiiciency of the coi'i-ipletedl wall/and also, eifeeting a mate- 'rial'sait/ing of labor and time outlay upon pa-lft'of'the builder. l y fl'fVlhefrevker desired 4or found necessary, a portion onlydof a blockmay be used, such as dicatedat F in igure 1, especially where litis'necessary to `finish the terminus of-a wall. l'slofthe fragment ofablockmlay beprowith a recess v16 of dovetail or'other c'iiiigiiifat'ion in which. a wooden buclz7 `16 ordine-` ilefinay be mounted to which a win- "dwora door frame can be anchored.

l'fheblo'cll) thas apair of projections 17 ejeliding `laterally from one face thereof adjacet-jfthe opposite ends of the body of the bloiek. rlhe'proj ections may be either tubular as shown `in. Figure 4,@ or solid. A' central lock 'DQintermedia-te the .projections 17. he r'I'Jiijection *.18 may also be tubular, as fshown, or A slid and, Vhas its conception 'at`th`e inner face the wall of theblock iteLto"thatiwhich` carries the, projections 5I'he'wall ofthe block which carries the rojection l18 is formed inthe body of the The projectionsv 17 is intersected by the projectionf18. rllhe block D maybe of anysize and maybe embodied in a wallwith symmetrical blocks or with blocks of various configurations which are equipped with projections interftting with the projections 17 and 18. The outer wall of each projection 17 is oblique "o'r inclined, as indicated at 19, while the inner wall thereof is straight, as indicated at '20. The opposite walls 21 ofthe projection 18 diverge outwardly. Consequently, in assembling thebloclzs the oblique faces 19 ofthe projections V17. may be urged into engagement witlr the correspondingly formed rfaces 21 of the projection 18 thereby providing spaces between the straight sides 2O ofthe projections 18 intoV which a plastic Amaterial 22 may be introduced for the purpose of bonding the blocks together. The ends of the blocks receive aillerof plastic composition therebetween.

rom the above, it isapparent that the wall is constructed in the same mannerimmaterial. of whether blocks A or `D are einiployed.v

If desired corner column blocks may be used. in order to add to the ornamentalappejarance of the Vwalls or to bond the' ends and side walls together. `F or instance-in order to illustrate this feature of the invention I have in Figure 3 shown a corner block H which in the present instance isshown tol be rectangular and is equipped with an integral dovetailed projection 22 on each of two faces thereof. Both of these lugs are adaptedfor engagement in complemental recesses formed 1n terminal blocks D which 'are fragments of the blocks D. VItis of course to beunderstood that whenrthe corner block H is used it must be slidably engaged in a vertical plane, with the right angled walls of the building. However, I am aware that in some instances such 'a construction would be im-` practical and that it would be necessary to laterally engage the corner blocks with the walls. `VVhere there is either desired or found necessary a portion of each projection 22 may be removed and sufficient plastic com;- posrtion introduced into the dove-tailed recesses of the blocks D to compensate for the portion of each projection 22 which is' chipped oli". Also, where desired the blocks Hmay be filled to `produce a solid corner column.

In use o-f blocks constructed in accordance 'with this invention, it is understood that the outer faces ofthe-blocks may be .glazed or otherwise ornamented. Moreover, wherever desired, walls composed of the type of block herein shown may be faced by decorative blocks of any Ystandard construction. 'It is thepurpose of the present invention to utilize building blocks which maybe manufactured at a relatively low cost, transported -with facilityA and rexpedition at fa minimum cost, and handled bythe workmen with convenience; g Moreover, thepresentinvention emwall with precision, in i order that the tiers since the horizontalshifting of the blocks f readily understand and appreciate that al of: thew all willbe positively bonded together.

' I It is'fnot necessary inthe construction of-a wall embodyingftheblocks of the present invention to require highly` skilled artisans in l' this art, in order to vafford effective results,

after they have been interengaged, automatically seats theinin proper positionand it is wall constructed through the instrumentalities of 'my improved invention, will possess a materially `greater lateral and compressive f strength than those formsjof tile orsimilar block wallsheretofore prevalent in the art, in

y that the spaces betweenv certain of the. projections upon a block `A willbe lsuchas to loosely receive the interengageable projection lupon a block Fand similarly, certainof theispaces upon theblock F areofI a size to loosely receive the interengageable'projection or projections upon the opposed or juxtaposedblock A, thereby providing a comparatively larger space between CertainofIt-he adjacent sides of the interengagedprojections S whereby to compensate for relative movement between the interenga'ged or interlocked blocks,as may be caused by expansiony or contractionof the` same or by stressing thereof with the application of great loadsto the wall, said space` ,being adapted to receive therein a plastic bonding, material or grouting lll possessing a certain amount or degree of inherent resiliency, and thus, effectingy a positive but suflir` 'ciently yieldable bond to allow for slight relative movement or adjustment between the jiirojections 8 so interengaged. Consequently upon this yieldable or iiexiblebonding bertween the projections 8 of the `juxtaposed akblocks, it will be understood that` a certain i degreeof flexibility will be imparted to the constructed wall and this flexibility will serve to materially increasethestrength of such wall, permitting itto carry, without premature failure, materially greater loadsA or stresses. Also, it will, be understoody that because of the peculiar` formation of the opposite sides of facesofithe projections 8,y

that is, one side thereof being flat or straight y as indicated at l0 and the opposite side being tapered as indicated "at" l1, the improved i blocks may be'interengagedv intheir juxtaposed relation to `constitute a wall in a materially reduced lengthof time, inasmuch as` f the projections 8 upon one block'may be slidably or laterally movedinto interengagement with the corresponding projections upon the opposite block in alternate fashion, the blocks y -immediately subsequent -to such laterally interengagement of ltheir lprojeetionsfS being shifted sidewise or longitudinallyfsoas to bring the adjacenttapered sides or faces ll` into contact'as is-sliown in theFigures 1 and 3,!hence, affording the advantages [of what isknown inthisfart as a dovetailed lit and' thereby positively preventing relativelyr outf nection between the :interengaged blocks whereby toA preventrelative lateral or out`v ward` movement therebetween.`

As hereinbefore `eiqilained,lthe superimposed layers fof interengaged or interlocked sov l tionsS and 9 andthus ensuring positive con-fv blocksconstitutingmy invention and making up a wall are laiddirectly one upon the'other withoutr the `,usual v`mortar ,beds` or. similar bonding means. 'Because of the dispensing with mortar beds "or like bonding means between the superimposed layers of interlocked blocks, it Aisl to be notedr that the improved blocks may be laid by unskilled or compara tively unskilled labor since it is only neces-f sary to place the blocks in superposed fashion one upon the otherduring which the projecf` tions upon the' adjacent sidestliereof are interengaged and form thereby, a positive connection medium;v spaces being leftbetween the `adjacentstraight faces of the projections Sfwhereby to colnpensatefor relative movement between the interlocked blocks, as by expansion or contraction of thesame or that movement necessary therebetweenr when a wall so constructed is subjected to great loads or stresses. In these spaces, a plastic bonding material such as is generally known in this art as groutingmay be poured, as is indicated ljiereinbefore by the numeral la.

` It is moreover to be understood that the blocks of this yinvent-ion may be made from any desired material and .may be molded or votherwise formed and made of anyrdimensions. Also, various other changes may be kmad'ewithin thescope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is: l. A building block an building block iieiufiiingy a. body equipped with an intermediate and terminal projections on one face, said intermediate projection having the opposite sides thereof 130 tapered, and said terminal'projectionslbeing sie? l including'r a b ody i equippedwith aniiitermediate and terminal y CTA spaced from the ends of said body and having'. theirlnner'faces straight andtlieir outer faces tapered.

A Wall inclttding blocks equipped woon projections, certain of which having the opposite acesthereof disposedat angles more y acute than a right angle, one face of each o the other projections being disposed at an angle more acute than a right angle, said blocks beingY movable to interengage said angular faces and provide spaces between certain ot' the opposite faces of the projections for the reception of a yieldable locking n'leditnn'.

L A "wall construction including a body with intermediate and terminal projections rality of juxtaposed blocks arranged insuperimposed layers, whereby to ei'ect a 'continuous vertical line of jointnrebetween the various jnxtaposed blocks of said layers, an interlockingv connection between the blocks d of each layer forming movement compensating spaces between the blocks 'and a vieldable i bonding' material received in said VIlnovenient compensating spaces for retaining the blocks of each layer' in interengaged contact` 6; A wall constructioncomprising an inner andV outer section, each section consistingVv o; a plurality of vertical tiers ot' superimposed layers of blocks, the layers of one section lyparalle'l with `the layers of the other sec-A tion, the tiers of one section being stagg-ered with respect to the tiers of the other section, and a y-ieldable interlockingl connection between the layers of bloclso both sections,

7. A Wall con'iprisingv an inner and outer section, each section consistingl of a plurality o' superimposed lajfers of blocks-arranged in vertical tiers wlierebyto ellect a continuous vertical-line ot' jointure between the various juxtaposed layers ont blocks, projections formed on certa-in oiu the sides of said blocks and interenof( zged, certain of the adjacent sides of said projections being` tapered and other ot'said adjacent sides` 01 the projections being stra-ight and* havin-g comparatively wide movement compensating spaces thereA between, the blocks of said `superinipo'sed layers 'having direct contact with each other and being free lof bondingI bedding material and a yieldable bonding material received in said movement compensati'ngl spaces whereby to maintain said tapered. adjacent sides of the projections in constant interengagcd contact.

In witness whereof, .I liavehereunto set my hand.

LUTHER Sr `MUNSQN. 

